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Our Goal: More Time For Your Research!
This institution-wide initiative aims to help researchers and scholars spend more time refining their proposals while staying compliant with sponsor requirements. By improving processes and using technology, the goal is to minimize any unnecessary administrative tasks so faculty can focus on their research.
How We're Working to Improve Your Experience!
The initiative focuses on key areas to streamline proposal submission, both for faculty and their administrative partners:
- Shift administrative work earlier in the process.
- Reduce the number of required corrections prior to submission
- Reduce the back-and-forth between researchers and administrators
- Reduce the time needed to accomplish administrative work
- Enable flexibility to update science closer to the sponsor deadline
Tools and Updates to Support You
We're continuously developing and piloting new tools to streamline your proposal development process. Recent updates as of May 2026 include:
- Gathering feedback about the best ways to support streamlined proposal development through our survey.
- Piloting the Devil's Advocate tool.
- Limited release of the SPS Proposal Review Tool to bring transparency and clarity to change requests.
- Release of the Current and Pending (Other) Support Review Tool with step-by-step guidance.
- Release of the Budget Justification Tool to simplify budget preparation.
- Release of feature to duplicate previous Intent to Submit forms
- Coming soon: myRESEARCHhome (MRH) redesign incorporating features from the Devil's Advocate
- Coming soon: MRH Biosketch Positions & Appointments
- Coming soon: MRH Facilities & Other Resources Tool
Your Feedback
Partners Supporting This Initiative
This initiative brings together expertise from across Duke's research enterprise to support you. Our pre-award teams include the Office of Research Administration (ORA), Office of Research Support (ORS), Research Administration Support Resource (RASR), and Central Grant Management Team (CGMT). Our technical teams include the Office of Academic Solutions and Information Support (OASIS) and the Office of Information Technology (OIT). These teams are working collaboratively to understand your needs and deliver solutions that make a real difference in your daily work.
Additional stakeholders include:
- Leadership: Jenny Lodge, Christopher Freel, Tracy Futhey, Paula Morrison, Geeta Swamy
- Operations and Feasibility: Rebecca Brouwer, Keith Hurka-Owen, Dave McAlpine, Blake Perrault, Laurianne Torres, Jen Vizas, Lara Whittaker
The effort is coordinated by the Office for Research and Innovation. If you have questions, contact rebecca.brouwer@duke.edu.